Method of protecting shoes during toe softening



. J. B HADAWAY.

METHOD OF PROTECTING SHOES DURING TOE SOFTENING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG 6, 1919.

Patented Sept. 19, 1922.

Patented Sept. 19, 1922.

* 1 re s re 1 JOHN B. HADAWAY, or SWAMPSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS, assrenonroun'rrnn snon MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, ACORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

METHOD OF PROTECTING SHOES DURING TOE SOFTENING.

Application filed August 6, 1919. Serial No. 315,658.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN B. HADAWAY, acitizen of the United States, residing at Swampscott, in the county ofEssex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain Improvements inMethods of Protecting Shoes During Toe Softening, of which the followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating likeparts in the several figures. i

In the manufacture of boots and shoes, it is customary to subject thetoe portions to a softening process, the usual method being to insertthe toe portions of the shoes, while in an incomplete state ofmanufacture, into what is termed a steamer. 1 Frequently the insoles orthe box toes, or both, are. overheated, or burn, owing to a too hightemperature in the steamer or tosubjecting the shoe to unduly longsteaming.

This difficulty exists particularly in the manufacture of shoes whichemploy what are known as manufactured insoles such as leatherboardinsoles, and wherein a fabric consisting of canvas or duck is adhesivelyconnected with the insole to reinforce it. When the toe portion of sucha shoe is subjected to the action of steam for softening purposes, thetreatment tends to have a marked disintegrative effect upon the stock orthe adhesive and so to affect the insole and its reinforcing layer thatlater, when the toe portion of the shoe is lasted, the wiping-up actionof the toe wipers is liable to-turn up the edge of the feather of theinsole. Sometimes also the sewing rib is forced back as the result ofthe action of the toe wipers.

A particular object of the present invention is to prevent any unduesoftening of parts of the shoes which might be affected by the action ofthe softening agent, to pre-' liability of those portions being disventtorted or otherwise damaged.

This object I attain by the method of applying a coating ofheat-resisting material to theportions of the shoes to be protected,preferably before completion of the lasting operation, so that when saidportions are subjected to the action of the softening agent prior tocompleting the lasting of the shoe the protected portions will not be sosoftened as to interfere with proper toe lasting.

In order to explain my invention, refer-' ence may be had to theaccompanying drawlngs, in which,

. Fig.1 is a perspective view of an incomplete shoe as it appears duringthe step of applying the coating;

Fig. 2 1s a perspective View of one form or type of steamer, with a shoein position to have its toe portion subjected to the action ofthe steam;

Fig. 3 represents a vertical section through.

the toe portion of a shoe and also a portion of the steamer;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view illustrating the utility of the invention inconnection with the lasting operation. i i

The hood of the steamer. is indicated at 5 in Fig. 2, the front portion6 thereof being cut away to form recesses 7 which recesses are adaptedto be occupied and substantially filled by the toe portions of shoescarriedby lasts 10. .To support the lasts with the foreparts thereof inthe steamer, a suitable bracket is provided as indicated at 8.

When the last 10 has had the upper 11, an insole 12, and the cap 13 andbox 14 fitted and located thereon in the usual manner, such asindicatedin Fig. 1, a moisture and heat resisting compound is appliedtoall of those portions of the shoe parts which are liable to beinjuriously affected when applied to the steamer for purposes ofsoftening the toes. .Such coating will usually be applied by means of ahand brush as indicated in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 4 of foot of a lasting machine is illustrated at 15, one of thetoe wipers at 16 and the toe rest at 17. j

A shoe of the particular type the manufacture of which is improved by myinvention includes an insole 12 of such composition as leatherboard,there also being a top facing or sock lining indicated at 18. The sewingrib 19 frequently comprising a piece of tape double stitched in place,is covered by a layer 20 of material ,such as canvas or duck which isadhesively connected to the surface of the insole 12, the reinforcingmaterial extending over said rib.

When a shoe of the character described the drawings the hold-down fibreor asbestine.

.is being toe lasted, it is held between the foot 15 and the toe rest 17while the toe wip: ers operate in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 4:.When such a shoe has been subjected to the action or" a steamer asheretofore the feather of the insole and sometimes the rib 19 aredistorted by the action of the toe wipers. When, however, the portionswhich it is necessary to protect have been coated as indicated in Fig. 1and as hereinbefore described, the parts so coated are suf ficientlyprotected from the moisture and heat of the steam to remain sufficientlyrigid to oppose distorting or displacing action of the toe wipers.

While I do not limit myseli to any specific moisture and heat resistingcomposition or coating, a suitable compound may consist of a soapyemulsionoi a wax or Wax-like mixture carrying in suspension some heatresisting or insulating substance such as asbestos This coating isapplied'by means of a brush to whatever portions of the shoe it isdesired to protect,- but especially to the insole. The coating isapplied thickly enough so as to protect the parts during thecomparatively short time during which said toe parts are inserted intothe steamer.

Of course, the soap itself does not serve.

any particular purpose as a protecting sub stance, but it enables theWax to be held in suspension to provide a compound in a suiricientlyfluid form to be applied by abrush. Having describedmy invention, Iclaim: 1. Thatimprovement in the art of making ass? shoes which consistsin applying a coa-tr of heat-resisting material to portions or shoeadjacent to other portions which are to be softened, then subjectingsaid portions to the influence of a softening agent.

2. That improvement in the art of making shoes which consists inapplyinga coating oi heat-resisting material to some portions of theshoe before completion of the lasting operation, then subjecting saidportions to the action of steam, and then completing the lasting of theshoe.

3. That improvement in the art oi making shoes which consists inapplying a coat ing of heat-andmoisture resisting material to the toeportion of the insole before completion of the lasting operation, thensubjecting the toe portion of the shoe to the action of steam, and thencompleting the lasting of the shoe.

4. That improvement in the art of making shoes whichconsists in coveringtoe portions of the shoe with a coating of moisture ancb heatresisting-material, then subjecting said toe to a moistening andsoftening process, and then lasting the toe 01"" the upper.

5. The method of protecting shoe uppers against damage from moisture orheat during a softening operation, consisting in covering said partswith a coating of moistureand-heat-resisting material and subjecting theparts to the influence of moistheat.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN B. HADANAY.

